


eighth wonder of the world

by lydiamartin



Series: around the world in eighty days [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen, M/M, emotionally constipated demigods, ignore blood of olympus that was an optional book really, jason's boner for nico is bigger than new rome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-25
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 16:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1234099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiamartin/pseuds/lydiamartin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico blinked, "Did you just quote <em>The Princess Bride</em>?"</p><p>"Did you just admit to having watched <em>The Princess Bride</em>?"</p><p>And then, inexplicably, Nico di Angelo laughed, loud and sudden. Jason decided he liked the sound of his laugh. He liked it very much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	eighth wonder of the world

**Author's Note:**

> what have i done sweet jesus what have i done
> 
> (for [kat](http://courfius.tumblr.com))

Be it sheer dumb luck or actual fate (how ironic would that be?), Jason was glad he found Nico. The boy was crouching by the river, his worn-out aviator's jacket hanging limp on his frame, big as ever. His eyes shifted towards Jason when he heard him approach, but gave no other sign of acknowledgement. 

"Hey," Jason began, flopping himself down beside him. "How come you're not at the party? You know, Leo spiked the punch again and Dakota mixed it up with Kool-Aid. He'll never hear the end of it from Reyna."

The corners of Nico's mouth lifted, ever so slightly. Jason grinned despite himself. A smile from Nico di Angelo was something rare, something many would have deemed the seventh— no, the eighth wonder of the world. And yet, for some reason, Jason was granted the privilege of witnessing said wonder from time to time, soft smiles becoming more frequent each passing day. They made Jason feel special.

"I don't know if you've noticed, Grace," Nico replied with a roll of his eyes. "But parties are not really my thing."

"Right," Jason bit the inside of his cheek. He knew it wasn't just that. _Oh, and by the way, Percy's tongue is halfway down Annabeth's throat_ went unspoken. The war with Gaea might've been over, but Nico's internal war with himself continued, and it was hard to tell which side was winning. Jason liked to believe Nico was gradually becoming happier, calmer, and that it kinda had to do with Jason reaching out to him.

(Jason Grace was an idealist, so maybe it was just wishful thinking.)

The silence dragged on for too long, and Jason decided it was time for Plan B.

"Have you thought about it?"

Nico tilted his head to the side, confused, "Thought about what?"

"You know," the blonde shrugged, a wave of uneasiness catching up with him. Okay, maybe this conversation wasn't going as smoothly as he had planned it to. "Leaving. I know you said you would but, you're a hero now, Nico. You'd be welcome at both camps. Hazel wants you to stay."

Nico turned away from him, facing the water once more. His lips pressed into a firm line, and his long arms wrapped themselves tighter around skinny legs. Jason knew he was pushing it, but he couldn't, he _wouldn't_ back down. If Nico left and didn't return, he would never forgive himself for not stopping him when he had the chance.

"I don't belong anywhere, Jason." 

It was faint, just above a whisper, but Jason heard it. He scowled in response, "That's not true—"

"Where are _you_ staying, anyway?" Nico's tone was harsh and the message crystal clear. _Drop it._ Jason frowned. Progress with the son of Hades was always like this; one step forward, two steps back.

Jason's eyes slid from Nico's gaunt features, setting on a fixed point in the horizon. Twilight drowned Camp Half-Blood with orange, pink and red, the tree Nymphs basking in the light somewhere along the river. Camp Jupiter did not have this sort of view. 

"New Rome's been my home since I was a baby," he chose his answer carefully, heaving out a sigh. "I grew up there, my friends are there. But in the short time I've spent here, I've felt more at home in Half-Blood than in CJ. Does that make sense?"

Nico did not reply. Jason took this as a sign to go on, "But I'm not staying in either camp."

It took a moment for Nico to register his words, and Jason finally gained his full attention. The boy turned sharply towards the blonde, wild eyes regarding him in earnest confusion, like Jason was a puzzle he could not solve, "You're not?"

"I shouldn't feel like that, you know?" Jason shook his head. "I should know where my home is, but how can I when I can't even see who I really am? I barely remember my life in New Rome, and I'm definitely not the same person I was back then. So who am I?"

"You're Jason Grace," was all Nico said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And it was.

"Yeah, but who _is_ Jason Grace?" he let out a humorless laugh. "I need some time away. Away from prophecies, monsters, gods. I need some time to find myself."

Neither said a word after that. Jason grabbed a small, triangular rock from where he was sitting and threw it into the river. It jumped over the surface three, four, five times before sinking. Nico's gaze was fixed on the running water, his brows furrowed in concentration. His lips parted before quickly shutting again, as if he was debating on what to say.

Jason was about to throw another rock into the water when he heard Nico speak, "Won't Piper mind if you leave?"

"Not really, no," Jason answered, and he guessed she wouldn't. "We decided to take a break."

"Why?"

It was a simple question. One word, three letters. Jason shouldn't have dwelled on it so much, but it was hard not to. Why had they actually split? Jason knew the answer. He knew that in the back of his mind, it was probably true. Still, he didn't want it to be true. He could stick to the story he and Piper made up; the war with Gaea had drained them both and they needed some time apart. In some way, it might've been true on his end, but not on Piper's. Never on Piper's. The lie would slip easily past his lips, it would be so quick. But lying would get him nowhere with di Angelo.

"Piper's charmspeak is very strong," Jason explained. Here goes nothing. "Strong enough to throw off a goddess sometimes. She's scared she might be doing it without realizing."

Nico's brow arched, "What do you mean?" 

"She thinks she's been subconsciously forcing me to fall in love with her."

Nico's mouth opened and closed, like a goldfish. He blinked, "Oh."

"Yeah," Jason smiled bitterly. " _Oh._ We figured some time apart would do us good, see if by the time I come back we still feel the same. If we do, we'll get back together, no questions asked. If not, we'll just stay friends. She's still my best girl friend. I mean, female friend. I mean—"

"I get what you mean, Jason," Nico cut him off with a tone that might almost be _fond_ , the ghost of a smirk strong before disappearing from his pale face. "Where will you be going now?"

"I don't know," Jason grinned down at Nico, the scar on his lip becoming a little more visible with each stretch of his lips. "I'd never been outside New Rome before last year, and I didn't get to see much on the way to Epirus. I want to see the rest of the world."

"The world is a dangerous place for a single demigod," Nico remarked.

Jason ignored his last comment, "I never got to see Italy properly, you know? I wouldn't mind some help with the language and sightseeing."

Nico's dark eyes widened immediately. His hair, disheveled and shaggy as usual, stuck out in different directions, while his jaw appeared slack. It was an honest expression of surprise. Moments like these were the ones that reminded Jason that Nico was still a child, eighty years of playing in a casino be damned. Nico was still a kid, not much younger than Jason himself, but a kid nevertheless.

"You want me to go with you?"  
the disbelief on his voice ever so present, and all Jason could do is smile.

"Yes, I do."

It was brief, maybe a trick of light, but Jason could've sworn Nico's eyes had twinkled in something akin to excitement.

The moment passed, and Nico's semi-permanent guarded look returned. He cleared his throat, "So, uh, where do you want to start?"

Jason couldn't have hidden his glee even if he had wanted to, "Ever been to Niagara Falls?"

"No."

"Great, me neither!" Jason scrambled to his feet, wide smile plastered on his face. "Let me just call Tempest and—"

"Wait, you mean _now_?" Nico raised from his spot at a much calmer pace. He stretched his arms over his head, causing his black t-shirt to ride up a little. Jason pretended not to notice.

"Of course," he replied with ease, as if an spontaneous trip to the frontier between Canada and America on horseback was a common occurrence. It wasn't. "If we can get Tempest to hurry, we can get there just in time to watch the sun set. I bet it looks great from up there."

Nico scoffed, "I'm not riding your horse, Grace. If we're doing this, then we're doing it my way."

Jason was about to complain but decided against it, instead replying with a lopsided grin and a mock bow, "As you wish."

Nico blinked, "Did you just quote _The Princess Bride_?"

"Did you just admit to having watched _The Princess Bride_?"

And then, inexplicably, Nico di Angelo laughed, loud and sudden.

Jason decided he liked the sound of his laugh. He liked it very much.

Long, bony fingers wrapped around Jason's wrist, "We have to go now if you want to catch the sunset."

Jason moved his hand so that their palms were pressed against each other. It was nice, seeing him smile and laugh after so long. Nico needed a friend, and Jason wanted to be that person. 

"Don't let go," he heard Nico warn.

"Wasn't going to."

The world needed more of those smiles, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> i feel like i really fucked up the characters which pains me but anyway thank you for reading, this is mostly just what i wanted to happen in boo, and the jasper break up was a theory about their relationship so don't get mad i'm not hating on piper, i actually really love her. also nico having watched the princess bride with hazel after piper had shoved the movie into her hands is my personal headcanon, don't judge
> 
> i also have a [tumblr](http://nicojasons.tumblr.com) where i cry about anime and nico di angelo


End file.
